Seismic risk assessment of historic constructions: comparative analysis of masonry and adobe churches in Italy and Chile

This paper proposes to compare seismic risk assessment of historic constructions in Chile and Italy - two seismic prone countries with their own seismological conditions, construction histories and heritage buildings - in order to contribute to the construction of a rapid seismic risk assessment method of heritage buildings in Chile by using innovations and lessons learned in past earthquakes in Italy. To that end, this paper focuses on applying two simplified methods, based on expert judgement and observed damage in old masonry churches, with the aim of identifying the most vulnerable elements and correlated threats that would act as site effects under the seismic action, for establishing intervention priority lists and for planning preventive conservation projects. The case studies are two churches in Matera, Italy; one church in the Andean northern Chile; and two churches in Valparaíso, Chile. Finally, the paper discusses the applicability of these methods for Chilean conservation management plans for cultural property